


Refusing to Back Down

by roseclaw



Category: High School Musical
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-28
Updated: 2009-12-28
Packaged: 2017-10-05 10:22:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/40653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roseclaw/pseuds/roseclaw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the summer of '69 in NYC, and times are a changing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Refusing to Back Down

**Author's Note:**

> [](http://community.livejournal.com/idontdance/profile)[**idontdance**](http://community.livejournal.com/idontdance/) Secret Santa fic for [](http://frogy.livejournal.com/profile)[**frogy**](http://frogy.livejournal.com/). This really only includes one of the actual prompts: it's mostly the ideas that came from the prompts. I hope that's okay. Title from Riot by Three Days Grace. Beta by [](http://www.livejournal.com/userinfo.bml?user=seakokato)[**seakokato**](http://www.livejournal.com/userinfo.bml?user=seakokato).

_**HSM: Refusing to Back Down**_  
**Fandom:** High School Musical  
**Pairing:** Chad/Ryan  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Word Count:** 1,189  
**Spoilers:** n/a  
**Warnings:** Stonewall Riots AU – and all warnings associated with that period of time including homophobia, racism, and the Viet Nam War – and cross dressing. I use the N word once.  
**Author's Note:** [](http://community.livejournal.com/idontdance/profile)[**idontdance**](http://community.livejournal.com/idontdance/) Secret Santa fic for [](http://frogy.livejournal.com/profile)[**frogy**](http://frogy.livejournal.com/). This really only includes one of the actual prompts: it's mostly the ideas that came from the prompts. I hope that's okay. Title from Riot by Three Days Grace. Beta by [](http://www.livejournal.com/userinfo.bml?user=seakokato)[**seakokato**](http://www.livejournal.com/userinfo.bml?user=seakokato).  
**Disclaimer:** HSM is that of Ortega and Disney.   
**Summary:** It's the summer of '69 in NYC, and times are a changing.

 

Refusing to Back Down

 

"There are rumors of a draft," Chad said. He stood in the threshold of the door to Ryan's apartment. Chad had spent many evenings speaking with Ryan on the telephone about the evils of war, about how he didn't want to fight someone else's war, how he didn't want to die in someone else's war, how he didn't want _anyone_ to die in someone else's war. Ryan had always told him that there were many wars going on and Chad would have to be more specific, but Chad had always said, "All of them."

Ryan stared at Chad for a moment. He shifted the blonde wig in his right hand over to his left hand and back again. "For God's sake, Chad, come in."

He finally tugged Chad inside the apartment.

"Why are you in the city?" Ryan asked. "I thought you were working this summer."

"The Man can shove it up his ass," Chad declared. "He'd probably enjoy it anyway."

"I'm assuming that's why you're here as well?" Ryan asked, raising a wry eyebrow.

Chad grabbed Ryan's hand and pulled him close. "That's one of the reasons," Chad said into Ryan's mouth and then kissed him. "Also, bread doesn't matter if I'm drafted."

"You're forgetting something else," Ryan said. "You're queer."

"There's that, too," Chad agreed. He was queer, but he doubted that would help him escape the rumored draft. Everyone knew the military frowns on homosexuals, and they would probably admit – falsely or truly – a homosexual persuasion. There was always Canada: they were more accepting, and they weren't fighting an unending war half a world away. Except Ryan worked and lived in New York City, so that's where Chad knew he would end up.

He looked to the wig in Ryan's hand. "Are you working tonight?"

"One of us has to earn wages," Ryan said. "Actually, Sharpay is working tonight."

"Sharpay?" Chad repeated.

"Have you never met Sharpay?" Ryan asked in disbelief. He placed the wig on his head, adjusting it quickly, shoving stands of his own hair under the wig. "She has an attitude. I don't know if you can handle her."

Ryan placed his hands on his hips and jutted them off to the side.

"I can handle anything you can give me," Chad said, letting his bravado show.

Ryan smirked. "Wait until I put on my makeup and pumps."

"Do you have a dress too?" Chad asked. "Because that would be fab."

Ryan gave him a look and scoffed, "Of course I have a dress. In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity, is the vital thing."

"Oscar Wilde?" Chad asked.

"What other queer playwright would I quote?" Ryan asked rhetorically.

\- - -

Chad was almost frightened by how well Ryan filled out his dress, but he was smug in the way everyone they passed on the street gave them envious glances.

They ambled down 7th Avenue in the dusk. Streetlamps flickered on, and Chad didn't need to think about the world going down the drain. It was nice. He could even hold Ryan's hand in public. Although Ryan had insisted that whenever he wore his wig and dress his name was Sharpay. It was a stage name, and the only name his employers recognized him by.

Chad had asked about Ryan's employers, but all he was able to make Ryan divulge was that they were good bosses and that they paid him a lot of bread under the table. Ryan insisted it was it was because of his singing talents. Chad suspected it had to do with the fact that Ryan looked hot and could attract all sorts of men. The fact that Ryan could sing well was superfluous.

\- - -

Chad was halfway through his second beer. The night was coming to a close. Ryan had about two more songs left in him, and then they could return to Ryan's apartment and have fun.

Except the black lights went down and the white lights came on. Chad wasn't entirely sure what that meant, but he could figure out that it wasn't good.

Ryan ran to him.

"Police! We're taking the place!" was barked from the direction of the door.

Chad's face blanched.

Ryan grabbed his hand. "C'mon, Chad." Ryan pulled him to the bathrooms. "We can head out through the bathrooms."

Chaos was everywhere, and so were the police. Bodies pushed passed each other, heading in all directions. Ryan lost hold of Chad's hand, and they were separated by the writhing masses.

Someone grabbed Chad's other hand. Chad whirled around and looked directly into the face of a cop.

"Candyass nigger," the cop sneered. He then spat in Chad's face.

Chad hauled his arm back and smashed his fist into the cop's face. There was a satisfying crunch, and a cheer from the crowd.

The cop loosened his hold on Chad's wrist and clutched at his face. Chad took the opportunity to disappear back into the chaos.

Chad's freedom was short-lived. As he tried to escape the bar, another cop grabbed him and restrained him before he could run away again.

Chad was led outside and into a police wagon. Led was actually a polite word. Chad was dragged kicking, screaming, clawing, and biting, and he was eventually shoved into a police wagon without being handcuffed, which Chad thought wasn't the smartest thing to do.

The other occupants of the police wagon stared at him for a moment before they went back to muttering amongst themselves.

Chad only caught some of it, but he wasn't all that interested in finding out who the fink was who had brought in the heat: Chad wanted to know where Ryan was and if he was okay.

He tuned in to the murmurs when he heard the word "escape."

"There's only one fuzz left," one of the boys said. At least Chad thought he was a boy, not that it mattered, but it was difficult to tell.

"As soon as he's gone, I've kept the back of the wagon from closing," another boy said.

"He's leaving!" a girl said. "Let's go!"

Someone pushed open the van, and they all took off running.

Chad ran through the rioting crowd in the direction of Ryan's apartment, hoping Ryan was there. There were a lot more people rioting than had been in the club. Chad didn't know what to think about it, so he didn't bother. He wanted to find Ryan.

\- - -

Chad paced the hallway outside of Ryan's apartment. It felt like hours. It was only minutes.

Ryan hurdled himself into the hallway and dragged Chad into his apartment.

"Sharpay's attitude helped me escape," Ryan explained once the door was bolted behind them. He had a split lip.

"I punched a policeman," Chad admitted.

Ryan kissed him carefully around the gash in his lip. "You are full of surprises."

He led Chad to the couch and sat them both down. Ryan all but climbed into Chad's lap, adjusting his dress.

They stayed up the rest of the night, nearly sitting on top of each other on Ryan's couch. Their hands never left the other.

 

.End.


End file.
